Wrapping up the first debate between Republican Pat Toomey and Democrat Joe Sestak, George Stephanopoulos, the chief political correspondent for ABC News, remarked that the two candidates are “giving the voters of Pennsylvania a very clear choice.”
At an event at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia Wednesday night, the senatorial candidates squared off for the first time in a debate moderated by Stephanopoulos and Jim Gardner of WPVI, a local ABC affiliate, along with two other panelists.
With polls indicating that the race has become increasingly competitive, the debate offered the candidates an opportunity to reach undecided voters in the 12 days remaining until the 2010 midterm elections.
Touching upon a variety of issues in the 50-minute debate — including the economy, abortion, spending, health care and Afghanistan — both candidates continued to try to define one another as outside the political mainstream.
While Sestak described Toomey as beholden to Wall Street and corporations, Toomey characterized his opponent as a liberal aligned with the far left within the U.S. House of Representatives.
The two candidates were rarely able to agree on anything beyond the poor state of the American economy. Pointing to Sestak’s voting record, Toomey argued that the Democrat’s spending priorities were “having a chilling effect on our ability to create jobs.”
Responding to Toomey’s claims that Sestak has supported “every single bailout,” the Democrat argued that he cast his vote to save millions of jobs out of personal conviction.
Meanwhile, Sestak argued that his opponent supports eliminating corporate taxes and privatizing Social Security. “He thinks all the answers are found on Wall Street,” Sestak said.
Dismissing these charges, Toomey argued that a diversified portfolio would avoid many of the dangers of investment and that reforms to major social programs like Social Security were a necessary reality, again emphasizing that government spending is the biggest threat facing the country.
Reflecting on the debate, Penn Democrats Deputy Political Director and Wharton sophomore Troy Daly described Toomey welcoming Sarah Palin’s endorsement as the most memorable moment of the hour.
“Debates make a huge difference,” he added. Noting that a large percentage of the electorate is still undecided, Daly explained that the significant differences between the two candidates in the debates can help voters make up their minds.
College Republicans President and Engineering junior Peter Terpeluk could not be reached for comment.
Recent polling in the race indicates that the margin between the two candidates has tightened over the last month. Two polls released this week from Public Policy Polling and The Morning Call had Sestak narrowly leading his Republican opponent, 46 to 45 percent with 9 percent undecided, and 44 to 41 percent with 15 percent undecided, respectively.
